Mr. David DeGroot is a special counsel in the Finance & Bankruptcy Practice Group in the firm’s San Francisco office. Mr. DeGroot represents businesses in complex litigation, focusing on licensing, insurance, intellectual property, contract disputes, and toxic torts.
He has experience in cases involving fraud, breach of contract, unfair competition, patents, business torts, mergers and acquisitions, creditors’ rights, and bankruptcy. He has extensive experience in all aspects of civil litigation, both in federal and state courts, including prejudgment remedies, discovery, trial, appeals, arbitration and mediation.
Mr. DeGroot works with clients in a variety of industries, including financial institutions, insurance, software, construction, semiconductors, and real estate. Mr. DeGroot has practiced at Sheppard Mullin since 2001. He began his litigation practice at Pillsbury Madison & Sutro in 1993. From 1998 to 2001, he represented small business and technology clients in a solo practice. Before law school, Mr. DeGroot was a city planner in New York City.
Mr. DeGroot has represented clients in a number of high-value disputes. Some of his recent matters include:
- Successfully settling a dispute involving font software, where the client’s licensee had underpaid royalties by millions of dollars. Multi-million dollar settlement achieved early in litigation, reducing risk and cost for an international client;
- Negotiating resolution of property tax fraud allegations made by San Francisco tax authorities against apartment investment trust. Mr. DeGroot convinced authorities to abandon fraud claim;
- Serving as main outside litigation counsel for publicly-listed real estate investment trust, handling toxic tort, insurance coverage, and contract matters;
- Obtaining a summary judgment in a declaratory relief action in federal court preventing a client’s former adversary in a securities litigation from reviving counterclaims in a distant forum where a co-party had suffered a multi-million dollar adverse judgment;
- On behalf of the trustee of a bankrupt art gallery, successfully settling the claims of the gallery’s largest creditor valued at over $2 million; and
- Preparing a dozen briefs in state and federal appellate courts and arguing two cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Education:
- J.D., University of California, Berkeley, 1993, Prosser Award in Federal Courts, Moot Court Board, Moot Court Oral Advocacy Award, Taught legal writing section
- B.A., Yale University, 1986
Admissions:
- United States Supreme Court
- California State Courts
- Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
- United States District Courts for the Northern, Central and Eastern Districts of California
- Eastern District of Kentucky
Memberships:
- Federalist Society, San Francisco Lawyers Chapter; President, 2007-present; Board Member, 1995-present
- Member, San Francisco Bar Association
- Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Cost
Rate : $$$